With Dylan Disu back on the court and nearly at full speed, Texas suddenly has a wealth of frontcourt options.

The 6-foot-9 Disu runs the floor, rebounds and has the best offensive repertoire in the paint of all the Longhorns’ big men. Kadin Shedrick, the 6-11 transfer from Virginia, also gets up and down the court and could emerge as an elite rim protector as he continues to recover from his offseason shoulder surgeries. Brock Cunningham remains the glue that helps keep things together on both ends of the court with his defense, passing and occasional 3-pointer. Ze’Rik Onyema, a 6-foot-8 banger in his first season from UTEP, adds more defense and rebounding but has to carve out time in the rotation after playing just three minutes in last week’s 71-55 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

And then there’s Dillon Mitchell, the 6-foot-8 sophomore who’s become a double-double machine. Against A&M-Corpus Christi, he scored 14 points and matched a career-high with 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Only five players in the power conferences across the country have more.

“He's really bought into his role,” Texas coach Rodney Terry said. “I mean, he's been a star this year in terms of the three things we asked him to do this year: be an elite defender, play with the high motor and be an elite rebounder. He's really done that at a high level.”

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Rebounding, defense calling cards for Mitchell

As a raw but eager freshman, Mitchell started all 38 games for a team that reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament but averaged just 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 19 minutes a game. The former five-star recruit from Florida submitted his name to the NBA draft last season before returning to Texas after garnering some needed feedback from NBA scouts.

This season, he's putting up 11.6 points and 9.7 rebounds in 30.8 minutes a game for Texas (9-2), which closes in on the end of its nonconference slate on Friday against UNC-Greensboro. More importantly, Mitchell said, he helps keep the team on point when it comes to staying focused on the fundamentals.

Take a look at the Longhorns’ most recent game. A&M-Corpus Christi closed to within five points with 6 minutes left in the game, but Mitchell seized control of the glass with five of his rebounds in the final five minutes as the Longhorns pulled away for the win.

“We want our identity to be defense, and it came down to finishing possessions,” he said after the win. “They got a lot of offensive rebounds that gave them another opportunity. Once we started to cut that down and rebound as a team, the game started to stretch a little bit for our advantage.”

Disu, who’s averaging 14 points and four rebounds in his two games back after recovering from offseason foot surgery, said Mitchell’s commitment to controlling the glass keyed Texas’ decisive run against A&M-Corpus Christi.

“We just focused on blocking out,” Disu said. “We felt like we were playing solid defense and getting the misses that we were looking for, but we just weren't coming down with the rebounds in that little stretch where they kind of pulled close to us. So our team and the coaching staff, we just kind of stressed boxing out, getting the rebound and then getting out and running.”

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Depth up front a luxury for Horns

And how far can the Longhorns run this season, especially with a healthy Disu? His presence should help keep Mitchell and the rest of the forwards fresh throughout the game, Terry said.

“When you're on the floor, you give it all you got,” Terry said. “You're not sitting there trying to pace yourself because we've got guys that can come in and give us some energy and activity. So just come in and be a star in your role.”

Mitchell agreed, saying the return of Disu boosts every player in the rotation, especially the forwards.

“It gives me a chance to catch my breath,” he said. “If I get subbed out and have a player like him come in and not have to worry about anything, it's been great. Having big-time players like Dylan Disu sub in and nothing changes as far as the game, I think it helps a lot of our other players as well.”

Friday's game

UNC-Greensboro (9-3) at No. 19 Texas (9-2), 7 p.m., LHN, 1300

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dillon Mitchell doubling up on success for Texas men's basketball team